inviting with clean, sandy beaches, winding paths, park benches and nearby colorful shops. With Courtney walking beside him, Neil was surprised how her presence made him view everything with a fresh eye.
She commented on flower beds, fountains and lush green lawns, and when she saw mothers pushing baby carriages and strollers, she exclaimed excitedly, “I’ll have to bring Jamie here.”
“Maybe you and my sister Maribeth could arrange a play date. She has two little ones.”
Courtney gave a vague nod of her head. She thought it wasn’t likely that his sister would follow through on the idea.
“You’d like her,” he added with a smile. “She’s my youngest sister. There’s only a couple years difference between us, and I guess I’m closer to her than the others. I can always tell when she’s feeling down, and needs a pick-me-up.” He grinned at Courtney. “She has eyes that give her feelings away—just like you do.”
“I’m that easy to read?”
“Not entirely,” he assured her.
“Well, thank you for rescuing me.”
“My pleasure. What kind of food do you like?”
“Any kind I don’t have to cook,” she readily replied. “A hot dog would be just fine.”
“Oh, I think I can do better than that.” He boldly slipped his arm through hers.
They walked several blocks to a small café in a Victorian house, complete with an old-fashioned cupola and gingerbread trim. A plump hostess dressed in old-fashioned costume greeted Neil with a welcoming smile and gave Courtney a quick assessing glance as if interested in seeing whom he was squiring for lunch.
“A nice table outside?” she asked Neil as if the question were rhetorical. Courtney suspected the hostess was asking if he wanted his usual table.
“What would you like?” he asked, deferring to Courtney. “Inside or out?”
“Outside sounds nice,” she readily replied. She’d had enough of being cooped up in a houseboat, eating meals at a counter.
A canopy of trees shaded the wide veranda, and the hostess led them to a table near a fountain spilling water into a small pond circled by feathery green ferns. The faint perfume of roses touched Courtney’s nostrils and she drew in the heavenly scent. The fragrance was a sharp contrast to the musty, dank smell of the houseboat.
Neil held Courtney’s chair and then took a seat opposite her. The hostess handed them an ornate menu decorated with cupids and flourishes of flowers and birds.
“Thank you, Harriet.”
“My pleasure.” She gave Neil a knowing smile. “Please enjoy.”
Courtney took one look at the prices and knew the Victorian café would never be mistaken for a fast-food establishment.
“See anything you like?” Neil asked, seeing her frown as she studied the elaborate selections.
How could she make a choice when every single entrée stimulated her taste buds? “What do you usually have?”
“Well, let’s see.” He readily pointed out several selections, confirming that he dined there often.
She didn’t know about his usual luncheon dates, but if he expected her to order something dainty like a watercress salad, he was in for a surprise.
After a careful job of elimination, she said, “I think I’ll have lentil soup, baked pork with apple-sauce, creamed asparagus and scalloped potatoes. Raisin bread pudding for dessert.” She closed the menu and leaned back in her chair.
“Good choice.” He chuckled silently. Her frank appetite appealed to him. It was refreshing to date a woman who enjoyed good food and made no bones about it. “I think I’ll have the same. Would you like a drink while we’re waiting? I recommend an English beer. It goes great with pork.”
His twinkling eyes challenged her, but she shook her head. “I’ll settle for a pot of tea, please.”
As they waited for their orders, he entertained her with stories about the community and his family. “I took over the Ellsworth Real Estate and Investment Company when my dad decided to call it quits.”
“And you like it?”
“Most of the time. I’ve made some mistakes. Trusted some people I shouldn’t have.” A shadow flickered in his brown eyes, and Courtney waited for him to explain but he changed the subject.
When their food arrived, conversation petered off into brief comments about the delicious fare. He smiled as she lifted a delicate china teapot and poured the fragrant brew into a gold-rimmed teacup.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why are you smiling?”
“There was such pleasure in your face, I couldn’t help picturing you at an elegant tea party, offering gold-rimmed cups to fashionable guests.”
She laughed. “Nothing could be further from the truth. I don’t think we ever had cups that weren’t chipped, and no two alike. Every time we moved, which was often, we had to start from scratch replacing what we’d broken or left behind.”
“What did your father do?”
“He was a welder. Not a very good one, I’m afraid,” she said sadly. “He tried hard, but never stayed with any job for very long. I put myself through business college, and was working as a secretary for a construction company when I met my husband, Clyde.” She paused. “Our marriage had its challenges.”
“Well, I decided a long time ago I’m not husband or father material.”
Undoubtedly, more than one unattached female considered him a good catch, Courtney thought. She wanted to assure him that she wasn’t looking for a man to complicate her life. Even though she had married out of loneliness, there had been very little companionship in her marriage, and the tender love she’d desperately sought had evaded her. She certainly wasn’t about to open herself to that kind of heartache again.
She gave her attention to the delicious pudding steeped in brandy sauce, and finished the last bite when she glanced at her watch.
“Oh, my goodness, I’ve got to get back. Jamie is always fussing after his noontime nap.” She instantly felt a sense of guilt for putting her son completely out of her mind for nearly three hours.
“He’s in good hands,” Neil reassured her. “While you were getting dressed, your aunt told me how much Jamie means to her. I guess she’s never had children of her own. Anyone can see she feels very possessive about him.”
“I’m beginning to think Jamie is the only reason she invited us to come,” Courtney said honestly. “It’s been quite a disappointment. I thought she and I would become friends and enjoy a special companionship this summer. But it’s not happening.”
“You’ve only been here a few days,” he reminded her. “If she’s not used to living with anyone, it may take a little time for her to adjust.”
“I suppose so.”
“You’ll win her over.”
Courtney wished she could be that optimistic. She couldn’t understand her aunt’s baffling behavior, let alone find a way to change it. She dreaded returning to the houseboat’s oppressive atmosphere and negative energy, but her son was her first priority. She had no business running around, thinking about her own pleasure.
When they docked beside the houseboat, Courtney thanked Neil for the outing.
“Maybe we should do this again,” he suggested.
“I don’t think I should make a habit of being away from the baby, but thank you for today.”
There was a finality